Caught in the crowd
by Delta-6
Summary: My first songfic, about McGee in high school. Thanks to your feedback I'm keeping on going with this one. Turning into a casefic now.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NCIS or the song used in this fic.

I was driving to the bookstore when that song came on.I sighed.  
It was the song that reminded me of all those years ago. The one that reminded me of McGee.

_There was a guy at my school when I was in high school  
We'd ride side by side in the morning on our bicycles  
Never even spoken or faced each other  
But on the last hill we'd race each other_

_When we reached the racks we'd each go our own way  
I wasn't in his classes, I didn't know his name  
When we finally got to speak he just stared at his feet  
And mumbled a sentence that ended with 'James'_

That was pretty much how I met Tim McGee. Riding to school on our bikes. Racing each other that last stretch.  
Darn was I competitive! I _hated_ losing to him! I almost died of shock when he actually talked to me.  
Gee he was so shy and awkward, I felt a little embarrassed for him.

_I was young and caught in the crowd  
I didn't know then what I know now  
I was dumb, and I was proud  
And I'm sorry  
If I could go back do it again  
I'd be someone you could call friend  
Please please believe that I'm sorry_

_Well he was quite a big guy, kinda shy and quiet  
When the kids called him weird he didn't try to deny it  
Every lunchtime he'd spend walking by himself  
Round the boundary of the grounds til he heard the bell ring_

_Well one day I found him, joined him on his walk  
We were silent for a while until we started to talk  
I told him my family were fighting in court  
He said his step-dad and him always fought_

_We talked about music, he was into punk  
Told me all the bands that I liked were junk  
I said I'd never heard the songs the sex pistols sang  
I laughed back at him and then the bell rang_

Well, close, but not quite. He sat alone at lunch – when he wasn't being bullied, that is – and just read,  
books about computers I think. I felt sorry for him so I went and sat with him and after a while we talked about things.  
I told him about my family, he told me about his. He made a point about telling me what Janis Joplin could do to my ears,  
let alone Van Halen and all the rest of the music I listened to. I couldn't help laughing when he said he listened to classical music.  
C'mon, it was the nineties! Only old farts listened to classical music back then!

_I was young and caught in the crowd  
I didn't know then what I know now  
I was dumb, and I was proud  
And I'm sorry  
If I could go back do it again  
I'd be someone you could call friend  
Please please believe that I'm sorry_

_It was after school in the afternoon  
The corridors were crowded as we came out of the rooms  
Three guys I knew pushed him into the cement  
Threw away his bag and said he had no friends  
_

Oh no, Todd, Rick and Garret, on a 'Let's get the geek' mission. Those three! By themselves they were ok,  
I even dated Rick once or twice. But together, they were bullying personified. And they _always_ tormented McGee.  
Usually they slammed him into his locker and/or gave him a wedgie, but today it looked like they were trying something new.

_He yelled that he did and he looked around  
Tried getting up but they pushed him on down  
That's when he saw me, called out my name  
And I turned my back, and just walked away  
Yeah I turned my back, and just walked away  
_

I froze when he called out my name. Rick looked at me in shock. 'Surely not,' I read in his eyes, 'no girl who dated me would be friends with the geek.'  
All my other friends were looking at me too, some in shock, some in disbelief. Some of them started to walk away and I just turned and went with them.  
Tim's gasp sent a knife through my heart but I kept walking.

_I was young and caught in the crowd  
I didn't know then what I know now  
I was dumb, and I was proud  
And I'm sorry  
If I could go back, do it again  
I'd be someone you could call friend  
Please please, believe that I'm sorry._

God I wish that I had stood up to them, stood up for McGee. I never used to think about it till that song came out.  
First time I heard it I felt the knife right in my heart again. I wish I knew how to get in touch with Tim, let him know how sorry I am.  
But he went away to college, MIT I heard, while I went to UCLA. Now I live in Washington, I'm an aide to a Senator.  
It's funny how I've changed. When I need to relax I always put Mozart, Bach or Vivaldi on the CD player.  
Stuff Tim used to listen to, though I never made the connection until that song reminded me of him.

Anyway, I've arrived at the bookstore now. I get out of my Mazda, lock the doors and head inside. Oh wow, there's a signing happening today.  
Thom E. Gemcity, the guy who wrote Deep Six and Rock Hollow. Oh darn, looks like I missed it, everything's being packed away.  
Pity, I liked those books, they felt so real. I feel someone bump into me and hear an "Excuse me, Ma'am" in an eerily familiar voice.  
I spin around and there he is, Thom E. Gemcity himself. Then I look closer. My heart pounds as I open my mouth to speak.

"Tim?"

**Author's note: **The song is "Caught in the crowd" by Kate Miller-Heidke. I never thought I'd do a songfic but when I heard it I was reminded of my high school experience and I thought that it could also relate to Tim McGee's.

I have a few ideas for a second chapter, which would not be a songfic, if you would like me to write it please say so and feel free to pass on any ideas you have. All reviews welcome, even the negative ones.


	2. Chapter 2

_I feel someone bump into me and hear an "Excuse me, Ma'am" in an eerily familiar voice.  
I spin around and there he is, Thom E. Gemcity himself. Then I look closer.  
My heart pounds as I open my mouth to speak._

"_Tim?"_

He looks at me sharply, surprised I know his real name.

"Do I know you?" he asks warily.

"Well, you used to," I gulp nervously, "but it's been a long time. We were at high school together."  
The look on his face changes to deep thought, eyes narrowed, trying to remember. Then his eyes snap open wide.

"K-Karen?" he asks.

"Yeah, Karen Woodhouse," I confirm slowly.

"Wow, how are you? How have you been? What are you doing with yourself nowadays?" I smile,  
remembering how shy he used to be, what a contrast with this enthusiasm.

"I'm fine thanks, I'm an aide to Senator Hobson, been living here for three years now. How about you?"  
Before he can answer the storeowner comes up to him.

"Excuse me Mr. Gemcity, just wanted to say what a pleasure it's been to have you in the store today."

"You're welcome, I hope the sale went well for you."

"Better than I could have expected, thank you so much." Then what could be his publisher comes to him.

"Thom, we have to get going now, we've got that meeting to get to, remember?" Tim looks at his watch and flinches,  
as if he'd just cursed mentally. Then he looks at me.

"Karen, would you like to meet up for coffee some time?" he asks, a bit of the old shyness creeping back in.  
"Of course, you don't have to, it's all right if you don't want. . ."

"I'd love to," I interrupt, smiling. He relaxes and smiles back, then reaches for his wallet.

"Here's my card, give me a call and let me know when you are free, ok?"

"Sure, talk to you soon." I wave as he heads out of the store. I look at the card. "NCIS Major Case Response Team,  
Special Agent Timothy McGee. Wow," I say to myself. Then I hear an engine snarl to life and see him drive past in a Porsche.  
'Wow again,' I think, 'nice car!' Finally remembering why I came here I start browsing the bookshelves.

* * *

It's lunchtime, a few days after I bumped into Tim. I pull out his card and dial the work number listed.

"Special Agent McGee's desk." It's some other guy, one Tim works with I guess.

"Is Tim McGee there please?"

"Sorry ma'am, Pro- McGee's out to lunch, can I take a message?"

"No thanks, I'll call back." I try his mobile.

"McGee." Crisp, confident.

"Hi Tim, it's Karen."

"Oh hi Karen, how are you?"

"Fine thanks, are you free for that coffee on Saturday?"

"Yeah, should be, unless we get a case. I've got your number on caller ID so if we get called out I'll let you know.  
About 2 p.m. alright with you?"

"That's fine. Do you know the café on J Street in Georgetown?"

"Yeah I know it, you want to meet there?"

"See you then Tim."

**Authors note: **Thanks to everyone who reviewed and/or added this one to your alerts. I'm sorry this chapter is so small and  
it's taken me so long to update, I'm an 'in the mood' writer and, well, haven't been in the mood much lately. Also,  
I'm not sure if I should keep this purely as Karen's point of view or move the POV around a bit. What do you think?


	3. Chapter 3

"Probie! A woman called while you were on your lunch run. Didn't leave a message," Tony reported as I came back in to the bullpen.

"Ok, thanks Tony." He walked over and sat on my desk, facing me.

"So what's the deal? Finally learned a few of my tricks?" he needled.

"No big deal Tony, just an old friend from school."

"The McGeek had a girlfriend in school? Really?" he boggled.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you know, in my experience the geeks _never_ got the girls. Never. I just can't picture the young Probie in high school with a girlfriend." He shook his head.  
"No, it just doesn't fit."

"Well you can stop worrying Tony, she wasn't my girlfriend, just a friend. Well, I thought she was a friend."

"You _thought_ she was a friend?"

"Don't you have work to do Tony? And where's Ziva and the boss?"

"Nice try Probie, Gibbs took Ziva down to Quantico to talk to a suspect from a cold case, they're gonna be gone for the rest of the day. Now spill," he ordered.

"All right," I sighed. "When I was fifteen I used to ride my bike to school. There was this girl who rode the same way, we never talked but we used to race  
the last hundred yards or so into school. I always beat her there but sometimes it was a close call!" I smiled at the memory. "Anyway, I finally scraped up  
enough guts to talk to her and introduced myself. Over the next year we got to know each other better, she used to sit with me at lunch sometimes and we  
talked about our families, music, you know, stuff." Lost in the memory I didn't notice Tony looking over my head at something. "One afternoon, just as school finished,  
three guys grabbed me and slammed me into the concrete. They said I had no friends. I told them I did and when I saw her standing there I called out to her but she  
just walked away. She didn't even smile or anything, just turned and walked away. I couldn't believe it. The guys laughed at me. One said that no girl he'd dated  
would be friends with me."

"That's awful Tim," said Abby quietly. I looked round at her in surprise.

"How long have you been there?" I asked.

"Long enough to really not like this girl. So what did you do after that?"

"Well that was on the last day of school before holidays. On those holidays my parents gave me my first car."

"Not the Camaro Z-28?" Tony enquired. I nodded and he patted me on the shoulder consolingly.

"What a cool car, what's so bad about that?" Abby asked, puzzled.

"The first day he had it he wrote it off in an accident with a bus," Tony answered for me. Abby looked at me for confirmation, shocked. I nodded.

"Spent six months in traction, never drove a car or rode my bike to school again. Always took the bus from then on."

"So did you ever see her again?" Abby enquired gently.

"Not at school but last Saturday I saw her at one of my signings in a bookstore."

"And she called him on the phone today too," Tony added.

"Really?" Abby asked, looking at me. I nodded. "What for?"

"I asked her if – you know, it doesn't really matter," I said, a half second too late.

"Spill it McGee," came the command from two firm voices. Busted, darn it.

"Okay, okay," I sighed, "I asked her out to coffee and we're meeting on Saturday."

"McGee! How could you! She _abandoned_ you and now you're going for coffee together?" Abby shrieked.

"You know me Abbs, always looking for the good in people." Just then my phone rang. "Special Agent McGee," I answered.

"McGee, get down to Abby's lab, Ziva just emailed her some records to check and I want you to help her," Gibbs ordered.

"On it boss," I reply, then put the handpiece down as he'd hung up.

"Come on Abbs, we got work to do."

**Author's note:** Wow, it's amazing how reviews put me in the mood to write more! I've never done a multi chapter story before  
so it's a new and pleasant experience. The story of Tim's Camaro is from Hometown Hero, Series 2. Again, thanks heaps for the reviews,  
a special mention for enigma-kar because before your review I hadn't even considered Abby at all and, well, here she be in this one.


	4. Chapter 4

"So Tim, how did you get into law enforcement?" I asked as we sat in the café.

"Oh, uh, well, I did Biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins after Computer Forensics  
at MIT and after looking around at what was available I decided to go to FLETC, that's-"

"Federal Law Enforcement Training Centre, I know." Surprise showed on Tim's face.  
"Senator Hobson is on the Homeland Security subcommittee of the Senate Committee on  
Appropriations and I have to keep in touch," I explained.

"Oh, ok," Tim said, nodding, "How did you become an aide?"

"Did Political Science at UCLA, did well, got noticed and, well, here I am. How did you  
wind up with NCIS?"

"Oh, you know, straight out of FLETC, applied for a whole bunch of places and NCIS came up.  
I was down at Norfolk to start off with, then Gibbs, my boss, got me transferred up here."

"Gibbs, is he your inspiration for LJ Tibbs in your books?"

"Well . . ." Tim hesitated.

"Not that he'll ever admit it, but yes," came a familiar voice. I looked up to see a man and woman  
standing beside our booth. Tim looked at him, very annoyed.

"Tony, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, me and Abby were out for a drive and we spotted your Porsche and thought we'd stop by," he declared,  
turning to me and giving his trademark smile. "Hi, I'm Tony DiNozzo, we spoke on the phone the other day,  
and this is Abby Scuito."

"Karen Woodhouse, nice to meet you Tony, Abby," I said, standing to shake their hands. Abby looked at me coldly.

"Abby Scuito, Tim, is this your forensic scientist?" I asked

"Yes, I'm the one member of the team that can kill you and leave no forensic evidence," Abby said in a low voice.

"I see. Well I hope I don't get on your bad side then!" I replied shakily. What can you say to that?

"Abby, can I have a word with you?" Tim asked, standing. "Be right back Karen."

I nodded and sat down as Tim led the goth away, while Tony slid into Tim's vacant spot.

"What was all that about?" I asked, puzzled. Tony grinned.

"Oh, Abs and Probie-wan used to date, she's really protective of him. When she heard about what you did to him in high school-"

"He told you about that?" I asked, shocked that he'd reveal that to his colleagues.

"I had to force it out of him if it's any consolation."

"Not much, but thanks for trying."

"Yeah, well, after that she decided that she didn't like you very much."

"I guess I can see her point. What was that you called Tim?"

"Oh, Probie-wan?" I nodded. "That's just one of the names I have for him, let's see, there's McGeek, McGoo, Probie-wan Kenobi . . ."

* * *

"Abby, what is wrong with you?" I demanded after getting her out of earshot.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked incredulously, "What's wrong with _you_? She _abandoned _you Tim! Left you to get beaten  
to a pulp because she wanted to stay a part of the 'in' crowd. Don't you _see_?"

"Abby, it was _seventeen years _ago. A lot has changed since then!"

"How do you know that Tim? How can you know she's changed?"

"Abby, why are you acting like this?"

"Like what McGee?"

"Like a jealous girlfriend."

"No I'm not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Well maybe I just don't want to see you get hurt Tim. She's hurt you before and she can do it again."

"Well I'll deal with it if she does, ok? I can look after myself, you know?"

"Yeah, I know, I just, well, I guess I just want to look out for you."

"I know Abs, and I appreciate it, how bout we get back to them now and you can apologise and start getting to know her yourself."

* * *

"You used _superglue_ on his keyboard?" I laughed. Tony was full of funny stories.

"Has he told you about the time he superglued my face to my desk?" Tim asked, sliding in next to me as Abby slid in next to Tony.  
I stopped laughing and shot Tony a stern look.

"How could you possibly do that to someone?"

"I was bored, McGee was asleep and, well," Tony said defensively.

"I hope your boss gave you an earful," I stated, unimpressed.

"That and a headslap I felt for the next week," he confirmed, wincing at the memory.

"A headslap, is that like in the books?"

"Yeah, like this," said Abby as she demonstrated on Tony.

"Geez Abs, not even Gibbs does them _that_ hard!" he said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry Tony, but I've never been on the receiving end so I didn't know just how hard Gibbs whacks you," she said just a little too innocently.  
She caught my eye and winked. I grinned back at her.

"By the way, sorry for getting off on the wrong foot before," she said, "Do-over?" I smiled and stuck out my hand.

"Sure. Hi, I'm Karen, it's very nice to meet you Abby." I felt Tim relax beside me. I looked at him and he smiled, halfway between relief and joy.

**Author's note: **I know, Abby probably wouldn't warm up quite that fast but I didn't want a wedge forming between her and Tim that I couldn't get out.  
I don't really like the way this chapter starts but I do like the way it ends so I'll take what I can get.  
Would you folks be annoyed with me if I put the song in again? I want to get Tim's take on it.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey McGoo," Tony starts, only to receive an elbow in the ribs from Abby and a scowl from me. "Ow! What?"

"You _could_ use his _name_ now and again, you know," Abby declares.

"Ok, ok. Tim, how bout a coffee run, you're closest to the counter."

"Sure thing Tony," I reply, "Your usual?" He nods. "Karen?"

"Latte for me please, two sugars thanks."

"Doesn't look like they have Caf-POW here Abs, what will you have?"

"A hot chocolate please. With marshmallows of course!" she grins.

"Actually that sounds pretty good," Karen says, "One for me too please Tim." I smile and go to place the order.  
As we wait for the drinks to be delivered I hear a song playing on the radio.

_There was a guy at my school when I was in high school  
We'd ride side by side in the morning on our bicycles  
Never even spoken or faced each other  
But on the last hill we'd race each other_

'Wait a minute, that sounds familiar,' I thought.  
_  
When we reached the racks we'd each go our own way  
I wasn't in his classes, I didn't know his name  
When we finally got to speak he just stared at his feet  
And mumbled a sentence that ended with 'James'_

'That could almost be me. Apart from the name of course.'

_I was young and caught in the crowd  
I didn't know then what I know now  
I was dumb, and I was proud  
And I'm sorry  
If I could go back do it again  
I'd be someone you could call friend  
Please please believe that I'm sorry_

_Well he was quite a big guy, kinda shy and quiet  
When the kids called him weird he didn't try to deny it  
Every lunchtime he'd spend walking by himself  
Round the boundary of the grounds til he heard the bell ring_

'Never did that, I did sit alone a lot though.'

_Well one day I found him, joined him on his walk  
We were silent for a while until we started to talk  
I told him my family were fighting in court  
He said his step-dad and him always fought_

_We talked about music, he was into punk  
Told me all the bands that I liked were junk  
I said I'd never heard the songs the sex pistols sang  
I laughed back at him and then the bell rang_

I glance at Karen to see her looking at me, obviously remembering the same thing I am;  
her sitting at lunch with me, us talking about our families, me telling her off about her music.

_I was young and caught in the crowd  
I didn't know then what I know now  
I was dumb, and I was proud  
And I'm sorry  
If I could go back do it again  
I'd be someone you could call friend  
Please please believe that I'm sorry_

_It was after school in the afternoon  
The corridors were crowded as we came out of the rooms  
Three guys I knew pushed him into the cement  
Threw away his bag and said he had no friends_

'Ouch, remember that one well. Todd, Rick and Garret, those jerks whose names I will never forget.  
Hmmm, must remember to tell Karen about that guy like them I interrogated and broke. Man that was satisfying.'

_He yelled that he did and he looked around  
Tried getting up but they pushed him on down  
That's when he saw me, called out my name  
And I turned my back, and just walked away  
Yeah I turned my back, and just walked away_

I look at Karen again and see tears in her eyes.

_I was young and caught in the crowd  
I didn't know then what I know now  
I was dumb, and I was proud  
And I'm sorry  
If I could go back, do it again  
I'd be someone you could call friend  
Please please, believe that I'm sorry._

"Abs, Tony, can you give us a minute?" I plead. Abby nods, understanding in her eyes.

"Sure, I need to powder my nose anyway. Tony, you want to go find out why our drinks aren't here yet?"  
He nods and slides out of the booth. I fish out a handkerchief and offer it to Karen.

"Thanks," she says, dabbing at her eyes. "You know," she continues, "I was listening to that song on the way to the bookstore that day."

"Really? I've never heard it before. Brought back some memories though."

"Yeah, me too. Tim, I'm so sorry I ignored you that day. I wish I'd stood up to those guys, that I'd-" she breaks off, tears forming again.

"Hey, it's all right," I say soothingly.

"No it's not all right," she says sharply, "You called on me as your friend and I ignored you, walked away when you needed me the most.  
I left you to those thugs. I abandoned you. I-"

"Karen, look at me." She stops ranting and looks.

"I forgive you."

"How can you?" she asks tearfully.

"Because having to deal with that, with them, made me who I am today. Look at me, I'm an NCIS Special Agent and I put bad guys away for a living.  
Who would of thought that in high school? You know, we had a case a few years ago where a Naval Officer was abducted.  
We found her phone with some kids who said they got it from another kid. He wouldn't tell us where he'd got it. He was just like those three jerks.  
You know how I got him to talk?" She shakes her head slowly. "I got him to talk by pretending I was like him. By saying how cool it was to have people afraid of me,  
to be able to make them cry or wet their pants. Then you know what I did?" Another head shake. "I said the best thing was that they'd always remember his name.  
He said he'd never thought about it. I told him I had because I was one of those kids and I'd been looking forward to that day,  
the day I could get back at guys like him, for years. He spilled his guts thirty seconds later."

"Gee McGee, I always wondered how you got to that guy," Tony says as he puts the drinks down. I throw him a look. "Ok, uh, guess I gotta visit the head myself."

"So you see Karen, I'd never have been able to get that guy to talk, and that officer would be dead now, if it wasn't for what I'd been through in school.  
That's how I can forgive you."

"But I-"

"No buts, I forgive you and that is that. Ok?" She smiles and nods.

"Ok."

**Author's note: **The story about the abducted naval officer is from the Series 3 episode 'Deception' and Kate Miller-Heidke's music is available through Sony BMG.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or the song 'Caught in the Crowd.' They belong to their respective creators. I do own the character Karen in this story.

Spoiler Warning: Cover Story.

* * *

"_No buts, I forgive you and that is that, ok?"_

"_Ok."_

_

* * *

_The next thing we hear is an excited squeal.

"Aw isn't that _nice_!"

"Thanks Abby, glad you approve." I say, looking at Tim and seeing on his face that he feels the same.

"So is it safe to come back now?" asks Tony.

"Yeah Tony, thanks for the privacy," Tim answers. Abby and Tony slide back in to the booth, this time Abby is opposite me next to the window.  
We drink our drinks, it turns out Tim decided on a hot chocolate too, and talk about ourselves. Well, they talk and I mostly listen, entranced in the rapport they have together.  
I would never have imagined Tim would have such friends. Well, maybe a forensic scientist but not one like Abby, a totally extroverted Goth, which is a bit of a contradiction in itself.  
Tony, no, not a chance, he's like the complete opposite of the Tim I remember, smooth, charming, witty, a skirt chaser in other words. Hey, haven't I read about people like that before?

"Tony and Abby, are they your inspirations for Agent Tommy and Amy Sutton in your books Tim?" I notice hard looks on Tony and Abby's faces and look at Tim to see him go bright red.

"Well . . ." he hesitates again.

"Like I said before, not that he'll ever admit it, but yes," Tony says.

"Hey Tim, it's all right, we got used to it, well, after that psycho got put away anyway," says Abby consolingly. Tim looks down in shame. I look at Abby, confused.

"Psycho?" I probe.

"Oh, one of Mister Gemcity's legion of fans got a little carried away and started reading his free-writing attempts off his typewriter ribbon and decided that 'McGregor' needed defending.  
He killed a petty officer and a civilian and was about to kill 'Amy' here when Timmy intervened and talked him out of it. Said McGregor and Amy were getting married at the end of the book," Tony explained.

"Oh, that must have been so awful for you Abby!" I cry.

"The worst bit was afterward, when I had to tell Tim that Amy and McGregor couldn't get married, they were all wrong for each other."

"Why? What's so bad about that?" I ask, puzzled. Tim looks at me sadly.

"I, uh, I based McGregor on me," he admits.

"And there I was telling him that he and I were all wrong for each other," adds Abby.

"Oh," I say quietly, nodding my understanding. Tony did tell me they'd dated.

"Hey, you know what?" Abby perks up, breaking the mood. "Not two blocks from here is _the_ best ice cream parlour I have _ever_ been to, you guys wanna grab an ice cream?" Tony grins,  
Tim looks at me and I nod, smiling.

"Great!" Abby is up out of the booth already, eager to go. "How 'bout we walk?" she asks.

"Fine with me," I say and the guys nod their agreement.

* * *

We head out – the café was pay as you go – and start walking up the street. Tony and I scan the area like we always do, the way we were trained. I notice a car coming up behind us with its window down and that's a-

"Gun! Get down!"

**Author's Note:** Well how'd you be, my first cliffhanger! A big thanks to SongBirdie, my new beta reader. Any mistakes in this are mine and were made over her objections.

One thing she did bring up, are you folks following the changes in POV? Should I put a little note in to say who we've changed to? Sorry if I'm confusing you, writing in first person is new to me.


	7. Chapter 7

"_Gun! Get down!"_

I drag Karen down behind a car. Tony is there already with Abby. Not half a second later the air is filled with the sound of an assault rifle on full auto.  
Karen screams and covers her ears, eyes shut tight. As soon as the car passes Tony and I are up, guns in hand. We step out on to the street but it's too risky a shot.  
I make note of the plate number while Tony turns to see if any more are coming. The street is clear.

We walk back behind the car we used for cover. I look down to see Abby comforting Karen.

"Are you two ok?" They both nod and I hit speed dial 1 on my phone.

"Yeah, Gibbs," I hear.

"Boss, it's McGee, there's just been a drive-by shooting on J Street Georgetown, near Twelfth Avenue, Abby, Tony and I are here with a friend of mine, we're fine but shaken up," I report.

"Stay there and secure the scene, Metro are probably already on the way. Did you get a look at the plate?"

"Yeah boss, Oscar Delta Six Zero Two Zero. It was a late model Taurus or Sable, metallic red."

"I'll get a BOLO out on it and be there as soon as I can." With that he hangs up.

I crouch down and put my arms around Karen. A jealous look flashes in Abby's eyes but now isn't the time and even she knows that. Karen leans into me and I feel her trembling.  
I rub her back gently. Then I hear the sirens. Metro PD have arrived.

* * *

Oh. My. Goodness.

How does he do it? How does Tim handle this stuff? Good grief, it's all I can do not to cry right now, while he's calmly giving details to the police!

"Excuse me, ma'am? Are you all right?" It's a police officer. I nod, still trembling.

"She's not hurt, just badly shaken," Abby answers for me. The officer nods.

"Ma'am, how about we get you checked out by the EMTs?" he asks gently, helping me up and guiding me over to the ambulance. Tim comes over as well.  
He waits impatiently while the EMT checks me over and pronounces I am well. Then he waits even more impatiently while I tell the police officer all I saw.  
Well, all I didn't see in this case. As I finish explaining an older man in a black NCIS jacket and hat comes over to Tim.

"Sit-rep," is all he says.

"Boss, this is Karen Woodhouse, Karen, this is my boss Special Agent Gibbs," he starts off. The older man nods to me. "We were having coffee at the café on the corner there,  
Tony and Abby 'just happened to be passing' and joined us," he says, making air quotes with his fingers. Again I marvel at his calmness.  
"We decided to go for ice cream at the parlour two blocks up the street. Walking along, I noticed a car coming up and a barrel sticking out the window,  
I called out gun and we got down behind that silver sedan over there just as they opened up. Sounded like an M-16 on full auto, shot off a full magazine and drove off.  
Me and Tony tried to get a shot in but it was too risky," he concludes. Gibbs nods.

"Good job Tim," he says, then walks across the street.

"_That's_ the guy you based LJ Tibbs on?" I ask, awed.

"Yep."

"Wow."

"Yep."

* * *

Gibbs comes back over to us, Abby and Tony trailing in his wake.

"McGee, we got a hit on the BOLO, Metro PD found the car dumped three blocks from here. Ziva's meeting me there, you take Karen back to NCIS headquarters," he orders.  
"Abby will follow you in Tony's car and he'll bring Karen's car." I nod, the reasoning clear: I can protect Karen and get her out of harm's way in a hurry and if anyone targets  
her car Tony can protect himself better than Karen could herself. Karen hands Tony her keys.

"I'm parked next to Tim," she says. Tony nods and we start walking towards the car park.

"How do you guys do this?" Karen asks.

"Do what?" Tony replies.

"This, staying so calm even after someone just tried to kill us."

"Our training helps," I say.

"So does working for Gibbs," Tony adds. Abby laughs.

"Yeah, working for him gets you ready for almost anything. Why do you think Tim's books are so realistic?" she asks as we reach the cars. Tony glares at her.  
"I mean, the crime and investigation side of things," she continues hurriedly. I hold the car door for Karen before jumping in myself.  
I put the top up despite the warm spring day as we pull out of the car park and we're soon on our way to the Navy Yard.

* * *

I glance at Karen as we pull away from the security checkpoint at the Navy Yard.

"By the way, there's a couple of people here who don't like hearing about my books so much," I tell her.

"Why not?" she asks, looking over at me.

"Well, I used a bit of creative licence for one of them and he didn't like being associated with, uh, doing _that_ with cadavers."

"Pimmy Jalmer has a real life counterpart too?" she asks, wide eyed.

"Well, like I said, creative licence. As for the other, well, she and Tony kinda have a love hate relationship."

"Oh, you mean Mossad Officer Lisa!"

"That's her, but I wouldn't mention that name anywhere around her, she can be every bit as scary as Lisa and then some. Her name is Ziva David."

"Got it," Karen says, nodding. We get out of the car and head into the NCIS building. After getting Karen a visitor's pass we head up to the bullpen to find Ducky waiting for us.

"Ah, Timothy, glad to see you are unhurt."

"Thanks Ducky. Karen, this is Doctor Donald Mallard, our medical examiner."

"Karen Woodhouse, nice to meet you Doctor Mallard," she says, shaking the offered hand.

"Please, call me Ducky. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

My cell phone rings and I step away to answer it. Caller id says it's Gibbs.

"Yeah boss."

"You get to the yard all right McGee?" he asks.

"Yeah boss, just got here."

"We got a problem."

**Author's note: **Hmmm, another cliffhanger. Sorry it's taken me a while to update, the flow of writing this story seems to be slowing down for me.  
But I'll keep plugging away at it till it's done. Thanks for the reviews!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** In previous chapters.

**Spoiler Warnings: **None that I am aware of, does allude to Series 2 episode Witness and Series 3 episode Deception.

* * *

Tim and I sit together in the conference room, waiting. For what, I don't know. It's been an hour since we got back and Tim has shown me around what they call the bullpen, autopsy and Abby's lab. He also showed me the interrogation room where he said he'd got that bully to talk. I can tell he'd loved that, from the pride in his voice and on his face.

"What are we waiting for?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"Gibbs has something he wants to show us," Tim answers, just as the door opens. Gibbs sits opposite me, putting a folder down on the table.

"Karen, in the car that was used in the shooting, we found this picture," Gibbs says, sliding it across to me. I gasp as what feels like an electric shock runs through my body.

"But, but that's, that's me!" I manage to stammer. Tim puts his arm around me and I lean into him, glad for the reassurance.

"Karen, we are going to find these guys, ok?" he says, firmly but gently. I look into his eyes and see steely resolve. Gibbs clears his throat, bringing us back to the meeting.

"Is there anyone you know of that would want to harm you?"

* * *

"Karen, until we find the people responsible for this it would be best for you to be in protective custody," Gibbs declares after I've answered all his questions.

"Custody? You mean, like under arrest?" I ask, going into panic mode.

"No, not at all, just staying with one of my team for your protection," he reassures me.

"Oh, ok, sure. Do I get to pick which one?" I ask, looking at Tim.

"You'll be staying with Agent McGee." Tim grins at me.

"Thank you Agent Gibbs. I feel safe with Tim." As soon as I say it I know it sounds like a movie, but I can't help it. It's true.

"You want to take the lead for this case McGee?" Gibbs asks. Tim frowns a little and hesitates, then looks at his boss.

"Thanks boss, but I think I'm too close on this one." Gibbs looks surprised, then his features change to a look that could be pride. He gets to his feet.

"Good decision," he says as he walks out of the conference room.

"What was that last bit about?" I ask, confused.

"Gibbs asked if I wanted to lead the investigation, you know, decide what we do and all that?" I nod. "I told him no because you're my friend and I don't want us to have missed anything because I was distracted."

"Have you led a case before?"

"Yeah, I'll never forget the first case Gibbs got me to lead," he says, a look of profound sadness on his face.

"What happened?" I ask gently.

"I'll tell you about it later. Let's go see what Abby's up to with the car."

As we step out of the elevator into the basement garage I am confronted by the sight of Abby in red NCIS coveralls. What a change from her Goth clothing! Her hair is still up in pigtails though.

"Hey Abs, how's it going?" Tim asks her. Behind her I see a red Taurus and a silver car. From the bullet holes I guess this is the car we took cover behind when we got shot at and I shudder at the memory.

"I pulled a partial print off the power window button, apart from that they wiped it clean. Even the brass they used didn't have any prints."

"Brass?" I ask.

"The brass bullet casings," she explains. "Oh, that's another thing, they used military issue ammunition."

"You can tell by-" Tim starts.

"Two flash holes at the bottom of the case for the primer, rather than one for civilian ammunition," I interrupt. "That much I know, I've just never heard shell casings called brass before." I see the question on Abby's face. "I'm an aide to a Senator on the Homeland Security and Defense Subcommittees for Appropriations," I explain.

"So, if we need more money for forensics equipment you're the go-to gal?" she grins.

"I make no guarantees," I chuckle. Tim's cell phone rings.

"Yeah boss. Ok, be right there," he says, flipping his phone closed. "Gibbs wants me in MTAC, can you take care of Karen for me Abs?"

"Sure!" she smiles at me.

"Thanks, I'll see you later." As he leaves in the elevator another technician in NCIS coveralls comes up to us.

"Here you are Miss Sciuto, I got all the bullets I could find out of the car, some of them were pretty beat up but you should be able to match the grooves on the rest."

"The name's Abby and you know it Ian," she scolds as she signs the form he gives her along with the plastic evidence bag.

"Not to me Miss Sciuto. Have fun with those," he calls over his shoulder as he walks away.

"Argh, I've tried to get that guy to call me by my first name for five years, he does that to everyone, even Gibbs." She shakes her head in frustration. "C'mon Karen, lets go make this evidence sing for us."

* * *

Some time later Abby and I are in her lab, listening to Kate Miller-Heidke's 'Caught in the Crowd' while we wait for the fingerprint to run through AFIS.

"So this is the song that reminded you of what you did to Tim?" she asks.

"Yeah, I felt really guilty in school when it happened but I never saw him there again so I couldn't apologize to him. Then I started hearing this song recently and it reminded me so much of him, especially the last verse and the chorus, it could have been written about us. And when I went to that bookstore we literally bumped into each other. It was amazing, I finally got the chance to apologize to him," I conclude.

"That's really sweet."

"Abby? What happened to your heavy iron?" a foreign sounding voice asks from the door.

"Heavy metal, Ziva, it's called heavy metal. And can't I change my music every now and then?" she asks defensively.

"Of course you can Abby, I did not mean to offend you, it is just that-"

"Ziva! I'm just kidding! As if you could ever offend me!" Abby interrupts as she hugs the woman and pulls her further into the room. Then she remembers me.

"Whoa, where are my manners? Ziva, this is Karen Woodhouse, a friend of McGee's. Karen, this is Ziva, our Mossad liaison."

"Nice to meet you Miss David," I say as I shake her hand, making sure to pronounce her last name as Da-veed like Tim said it earlier.

"Nice to meet you too and please call me Ziva," she smiles. "You were with Tony, Abby and McGee at the drive by shooting, yes?" I shudder and nod.

"We will catch the people responsible," she declares firmly. I look in her eyes and see the same resolve I saw in Tim's eyes earlier. I smile and relax a little.

"Gee, you guys are really comforting to be around, it's like you're not going to let anything happen to me."

"Well that is the idea, right Ziva?" asks Abby.

"Exactly," confirms Ziva. "How are you doing with the evidence?" she asks.

"We're still running the partial print; AFIS is taking its sweet time today. The bullets we pulled from the car were fired from either an M-4 Carbine or an M-16; they were full metal jacket projectiles."

"Military ammunition," muses Ziva.

"Right. Now there were no prints on the brass-" Abby's explanation is cut short by a beep from her computer. "Yes! We have a hit!" She dances around, arms raised in triumph. I look over at Ziva and she nods, yes Abby is always like this.

"What do ya got Abs?" asks Gibbs as he breezes through the door. He hands her a jumbo-sized cup labeled Caf-POW! Ah, so this is what Tim was talking about in the café.

"Thanks Gibbs, you always have the best timing. But of course you do, because you're you. Hmm, that sounded better-"

"Abby." Gibbs interrupts impatiently.

"We got a hit on the partial print I pulled from the Taurus," Abby announces, "Private Richard Kelley."

"Rick," I gasp.

"You know him?" Gibbs probes.

"He was at high school with me and Tim. I dated him a few times, he was-"

"One of the guys who picked on me," Tim says quietly from the doorway.

"Don't you mean pounded you into the ground, Probie?" Tony remarks from right behind Tim, who comes and stands with me.

"Got an address Abs?" enquires Gibbs. She hands him a post-it note, which he hands to Ziva. "Bring him in, take DiNozzo with you," he orders.

"Perhaps it would be best for Karen not to be here when we return?" Ziva asks.

"You're right. McGee, take Karen home, I don't need to see you until tomorrow."

"Boss, I-" Tim starts to protest.

"Do not worry Tim, if he is the shooter we will leave him in one piece for you," Ziva assures him, patting him on the shoulder as she walks out of the lab.

"She seems really nice!" I enthuse. "I can't see why you guys are so scared of her."

"Scared?" Tony laughs, "come on, we're not scared of Ziva, well not me anyway," he says.

"Is that so Tony?" asks Ziva, right behind him. I laugh as he jumps and whirls to face the Israeli.

"Will you stop doing that!" he hisses angrily.

"I will stop doing it when you stop reacting to it," she smirks and walks off again.

"In other words, never," Tim murmurs to me.

"Mind your own business McMumbler," Tony mutters as he follows Ziva to the elevator.

* * *

**Author's note:** Another big thanks to my beta reader SongBirdie.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** See previous chapters, it hasn't changed.

**Spoiler Warning: **Witness, Yankee White, The Bone Yard, Twilight, Kill Ari 2.

* * *

"Tim?" I ask. He looks up from wiping the dishes after our Chinese take-out dinner. He'd insisted on using plates instead of eating from the box. "You were going to tell me about the first case Gibbs let you lead." Again the look of sadness floods his features.

"A woman saw a sailor being strangled in his apartment," he sighs. "She lived across the road and could see down into it. She called the police and they didn't believe her. No one was in the other apartment, alive or dead. But she wouldn't give up and so the metro homicide detective called us. Gibbs sent me first and after I interviewed her I told him the rest of the team needed to come. We investigated and Erin, that was her name, was right. We found the dead sailor, he'd been dumped in a port-a-potty at a construction site," he explains. "I was staked out in the apartment where the sailor had been murdered and I was talking to Erin on the phone. The murderer broke into Erin's apartment and strangled her. I raced over and when," his voice breaks, "when I saw her lying there I forgot all about clearing the room and just went to help her. The bastard hit me and knocked me unconscious. Erin didn't make it. Everyone told me it wasn't my fault but if I had just cleared the room I'd have caught the guy and Erin might be alive today. She went to MIT, advanced math, worked for DOD. She had a future, you know?" I nod to show my understanding as he finishes wiping the dishes and joins me sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Did you get the guy?" I ask as gently as I can.

"Yeah, Kate recommended a hypnotist to help me remember details about him. It was the building supervisor of the sailor's apartment building. The sailor was moonlighting as a hit man and the super killed him for his money. We confronted him and he bolted, tried to get away from us. He ran into the street and got hit by a car, it knocked him down. I caught up to him then and I had my gun in his face, I was so close to pulling the trigger."

"What did you do?"

"Gibbs yelled at me, told me if I was going to shoot him I should have done it while he was running. I looked in the guy's eyes and I saw fear, real fear. If I'd shot him then I would have been a murderer, same as him. After I finished my report I wrote to Erin's parents. It was absolutely the hardest thing I have ever had to write. I never heard back from them."

"That must have been hard," I empathize.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they blamed me, I blame myself too," he admits gloomily.

"Timothy McGee!" I say sternly. His eyes flick up to meet mine. "Did you do your best?" I demand.

"Well-" he hesitates.

"Did you or did you not do the best you could?"

"Yes I did," he says quietly.

"Then that is all you can do, you got me?" He nods, smiling.

"Hey, that was like Abby and Gibbs combined, how did you do that?" he asks.

"It comes naturally to women. I don't know how Gibbs got it," I declare, somewhat pompously.

"Now _that_ was all Abby, sounds like you two got on really well this afternoon."

"Well, after I told her how guilty I felt about that time at school she cut me some slack and opened up. One thing though, she mentioned a Kate but immediately clammed up about her, you just mentioned her too, who is she?" Tim sighs heavily.

"Kate Todd was a member of Gibbs' team, she was there before I was. She was originally with the Secret Service but transferred over to NCIS." He pauses.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I offer.

"No, it's ok, you should know. Kate was a good agent, a really good agent. She was sensitive but tough when she had to be, insightful, stubborn and conservative. She could kick ass when she had to, heh, one time we were sparring and she kicked me in the balls because I was holding back. I walked crooked for a week," he half winces, half grins. "She was killed by a rogue Mossad agent who'd turned to HAMAS and Al-Qaeda. We thought he was after Gibbs and she was assigned to protect him. She was the big sister I never had," he trails off wistfully, lost in his memory.

"Did you-"

"Gibbs killed him, the day of Kate's funeral," he interrupts bluntly, answering the question before I can ask it.

"So Ziva was Kate's replacement?"

"Yes and no. Yes, she took Kate's desk and place on the team. No because no one could replace Kate. Mind you, I don't think anyone could replace Ziva either."  
"Sounds like a family," I observe.

"Yeah, it is. Gibbs is Dad, Tony is the oldest child and he knows it, Abby is the middle and favorite child and I am the youngest, the lowest in the pecking order. Ziva is like an exchange student who's been living with us for a while and has fit in. Ducky is our favorite uncle and Palmer is our cousin. Director Vance, well, he's like a grumpy grandpa we never knew until he moved close recently," he concludes. "Now, how would you like to play some board games for a while?"

* * *

The screaming wakes me up. I bolt into the bedroom, gun in hand, to be greeted by the sight of Karen sitting bolt upright, still screaming. I look around but everything is secure, the window is closed and the curtains drawn, nothing out of place at all. I put the pistol on the nightstand and sit on the bed, wrapping my arms around her.

"Karen, it's okay, I'm here, nothing's going to hurt you," I say soothingly.

"They came back, they, they got me, they-" she sputters.

"No they didn't, you're here with me and you're safe. I've got you." She relaxes in my arms. "That's it, I've got you, no one's going to hurt you, it's okay." She shudders. I wait until she relaxes again before I let go.

"The street?" I ask, pretty sure of the source of her nightmare. She surprises me with a shake of her head.

"My parents."

"Your parents?" I ask, puzzled. She shudders and nods. "What happened?"

"They were coming to see me at college. We were meeting at a café nearby and as," she sobs, "as they were crossing the street they were hit by a car. They never stood a chance. I saw it all. The car stopped and I got the plate number. Then it sped off, they didn't even get out to see if my parents were okay, they just drove off again," she cries, tears running down her face. "The police caught them and I testified. It turns out it was some drug runner and his bodyguard. They were both sent to prison for manslaughter."

"And you dreamed that they came back for you too," I state. She nods.

"I had the nightmare every night for a while after it happened, now it just comes when I'm really stressed out."

"Are you okay now? Do you want some warm milk or anything?" I ask her.

"No thanks," she smiles wanly.

"All right. I'm going to be right outside, okay? No one is going to hurt you, not while I'm here," I promise in my best Special Agent voice. I stand and turn to leave.

"Tim?" Her shaky voice stops me in my tracks. "Can you, would you mind staying with me? I don't want to be alone, not after that."

"Sure, I'll get my sleeping bag in here and-"

"Could you hold me?" she pleads.

"Uh, sure, uhmmmm," I start. How can I say this?

"You can stay on the other side of the sheet if you want," she says.

Relief floods my body. Yes, I'm attracted to her but it is way too soon, not to mention totally inappropriate to be doing anything about that now. I climb into bed and put my arms around her. She relaxes and is soon asleep. I lay awake a while longer, making sure her nightmare doesn't come back. I'm also thinking I need to look into that hit and run case tomorrow. I wonder how I could have missed seeing that in her file. Finally sleep claims me.

* * *

**Author's note:** I know, sappy family stuff but, hey, they _are_. Sorry this has taken so long to update, the muse is dragging, my work is going nuts and my house got broken into as well. Upshot of that was I got to watch a forensics guy in action. I will not abandon this story but I cannot promise rapid or regular updates. I don't mean to whine, just letting you know what the situation is.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** In previous chapters.

**Spoiler Warning: **The Curse, Sub Rosa, Reveille, See No Evil, Once a Hero, Smoked and Skeletons.

* * *

I find myself in Observation room one the next morning, looking through the glass at Rick Kelley. Man, he was mean enough in high school, the Marines have built on that big time. The door opens and I turn to see Ziva enter.

"Morning Tim," she greets.

"Morning. How did you go with him?" I ask, gesturing to Kelley.

"He was reluctant to come with us but I managed to, how shall I say it, _persuade_ him to accompany us," she says with a smirk.

"I hope you weren't too hard on him."

"McGee, would I be too hard on someone who tried to kill you?" she asks in mock outrage.

"Good point," I concede. "Has anyone talked to him yet?"

"Tony did when we got him here, he denied being involved in the attack."

"There's a surprise," I say sarcastically.

"Gibbs decided to let him soup for a while,"

"Stew," I correct her

"Bless you."

"No, let him stew for a while, not soup" I explain.

"Soup, stew, whatever," she grouses as Gibbs walks in to the interrogation room. "By the way," she asks, "where is Karen today?"

"Abby wanted to demonstrate just how under equipped her lab is. She thinks Karen can use her influence with Senator Hobson to get us some new lab gear."

* * *

"We needed to analyze a hair sample found on the body and to do it, we needed an infra-red micro spectroscopy unit. But as you see, I don't have one," Abby explains, gesturing around the lab. I'm having trouble identifying the equipment she does have, let alone what she doesn't have, but I nod anyway. "Gibbs was like, go get one but Jenny, Director Shepard, said we couldn't afford one. So I had to go to this 'Forensics Futures Expo' at the Greenbrier. There was this guy there, Marty, selling them and he did a demonstration on the sample. He was pretty disappointed when he realized I wasn't going to order one but we went bowling so I could make it up to him."

"You bowl?" I ask.

"Well, yeah, like I told Marty, I am the Queen of the alley. Wait, don't tell me?"

"Well, it's been a while but I used to have an average of a hundred and seventy three."

"Not bad! Mine is a hundred eighty nine. We have _got _to have a game or two some time."

"Or three," I add.

"Three games? That is so hard-core! You are on!" We shake on it.

"So how did you go with Marty?" I ask. I am surprised by the dark look that crosses her face.

"He beat me! Two oh five to one ninety-seven. I could not believe it! We both started out with a strike, then I spared and he got a strike and it was on from there. I got a turkey later on but it wasn't enough. If I'd had my ball there though, I would've kicked his butt," she declares.

"Special ball?"

"Nah, not really, just drilled for me, it makes a difference don't you think?" I nod in agreement. "Mind you," she continues, "the sight of a skull rolling down the alley does put some people off until they get used to it."

"Your ball has a skull design?" I ask incredulously.

"Yeah, it's really cool, the finger holes in are in the eyes and the thumb hole is in the nose cavity."  
"Now that I have to see," I announce. "So, did you have a grudge match, get him back?"

"No, he took me to dinner and bought me flowers, so I let it go."

"Sounds interesting," I say, my tone asking the question for me.

"Yeah," she sighs, "we went out a few times and he helped me with another case, but then he dumped me by instant messenger," she states bitterly.

"Dumped you, why?"

"He said I was too big, too tall," she grumps.

'Too tall?"

"Yeah, he was a little person, came up to about here on me," she says, indicating her elbow.

"Oh Abby, what a terrible thing for him to do to you!"

"Yeah, I was in such a bad mood that day. I was rude to almost everyone. Gibbs got me out of it."

"How?" I ask, intrigued.

"You know, it's hard to explain. He just stood there and listened. All he said was, 'I got time Abs,' when I told him it wasn't something he could fix in his usual hit and run style. He let me run through the problem and in the end I realized I had to accept it and move on. After that I felt much better."

"He seems like a good boss," I remark.

"Of course, he's Gibbs, the best boss there is!" she exclaims enthusiastically. "He always brings me Caf-POWs, he knows when I have a result, sometimes before I know I have it, he always tells me when I've done a good job and he _always_ remembers my birthday. I can't imagine working anywhere else. As I was saying, however," she continues, "I could_really_ use some more equipment."

Here we go again.

* * *

Well, that was fast. Mind you, it is Gibbs doing the interrogation, I shouldn't really be surprised. Seemingly in no time flat he'd not only gotten Kelley to confess to taking part in the shooting but also tell him who had been driving the car and how he'd been contacted to do it. Tony and Ziva were on their way to pick up the driver now while I focus on the email Kelley had received to arrange the hit.

"What do you got McGee?" Gibbs asks, breezing into the bullpen. I look up in frustration.

"Boss, the e-mail's been routed through a dozen servers and back again, I'm having a hard time tracking it back through to the point of origin," I admit.

"Would it go faster if you had help?"

"Uh, yeah, should do."  
"Go down to the lab and get Abby to help. Also check on the money that was sent through too," he orders, striding out and turning for the elevator.

"Uh, boss?"

"What?"

"Karen's down there."

"Ok, I'll take her out for coffee, she's been cooped up for a while now." he says, reversing direction.

* * *

"Hey there Jethro, your usual?" the barista greets him as we walk into the coffee shop.

"And a latte too thanks Jane," he confirms, adding my order too.

"No problems, take-out?" she asks.

"We'll have it here this time, thanks," he replies, steering me towards a booth at the back of the store, away from the window.

"Tim look after you last night?" he asks after we settle into the soft bench seats.

"Yes, he's been a God-send. I'd probably be dead if not for him."

"He's a good agent."

"How did he come to be on your team?" I ask.

"That's a long story."

"Looks like we have time," I prod.

"Okay," he sighs resignedly. "The first case we worked together was down in Norfolk. He was the agent assigned to the base back then. A submariner was murdered and dumped in acid so another guy could take his place on the sub. He planned to release Sarin gas into the air conditioning and kill everyone aboard, all as a protest against sonar harming whales," he says, his tone of voice saying 'weirdo' for him. "Anyway, after that we got him up to D.C. to help us with a few cases here and there, he also helped me find out who Ari was."

"Ari?"

"Really long story, ask Tim about that one." I nod.

"Here you are Jethro, one café latte and one long black with two extra shots," the barista announces as she puts our coffees on the table.

"Thanks Jane," he calls after her. I look at him in amazement. "What?"

"You have four shots of espresso in your coffee? Good grief!" I exclaim.

"It's the closest thing I've found to navy coffee. The one thing squids do really well is their coffee," he explains before he sips his incredibly strong drink. "Now, where was I? Oh yeah, Tim was working on our computer network on his own initiative because the air-con was broken and he said the contractors wouldn't fix the network without the air-con working. He'd already impressed me enough working with us before and now he's doing something he's not even employed to do because he is able to do it and it's not going to get done otherwise. It might not seem like much but it was still going above and beyond." He pauses to sip his coffee again. "We got a case that day, a guy kidnapped the wife and child of a navy Captain working in the Pentagon and demanded he transfer money out of accounts designated to support special operations. Tim and Abby got access to the Captain's computer and we tracked the kidnapper down from there. The Captain sent the money as he was told, even though we rescued his family but Tim and Abs tracked it as it bounced all over the world and it eventually came to a bank here in D.C. It turned out the Captain had hired the kidnapper himself and was trying to steal the money. He's behind bars now." Another sip. "Tim finished working on the computer network and was about to head back to Norfolk when I told him I had good news and bad news for him. The good news was that he had been promoted to a full time field agent. The bad news was that he belonged to _me_ now," he explains with a smirk.

"Why is that bad news?"

"Well, put it this way. One case we had, before Tim was with us, involved an F-14 crew. RIOs, Radar Intercept Officers, are also known as GIBs, one B, for Guys In Back. Kate asked me why I needed two Bs, I told her the second one is for bastard. Not to mention what Tony and Kate did to him."

"Tony told me about the superglue incidents and Tim told me about the time Kate kicked him in the balls," I reply.

"He told you about Kate?" Gibbs asks, surprised.

"Only after I asked him about her. Abby mentioned her yesterday and I managed to pry it out of him."

"Tim took her death pretty hard. She was the only one who got Tony off his back for any length of time."

"You know, you're not such a bastard at all," I remark. Gibbs throws me a sharp look and I plunge into my explanation, "A bastard would not be on first name terms with a barista. Nor would he have brought me here for coffee instead of leaving me in some guarded room back at the Navy yard. If you meant towards your team, well, it seems to me like that's only a cover to stop them getting too close to you and from the way Tim was talking last night and Abby this morning, that's a wasted effort. Besides, I can see how proud of them you are when you talk about them."

Amusement shows in Gibbs' eyes as he sips his coffee.

"You haven't seen me with a suspect or with agents from other agencies."

"You've got me there, but if you're a bastard with them it's only because you choose to be, not because it's who you are inside," I shoot back.

"You done?"

"I didn't mean to offend-"

"With your coffee, have you finished your coffee?"

"Um, yes, why?"

"Tim and Abby have something, we've got to get back."

"How do you know?"

"My gut."

"Your gut? How does your gut come into it?" I ask as we get out of the booth.

"Now _that's _something I'll never tell."

* * *

**Author's note:** Sorry this one has taken so long to post, my life is till going nuts and the muse has been on holiday. Did some brainstorming so hopefully will be able to continue without much more delay. Thanks for reading and keep up the reviews please, they _really_ make my day.


	11. Chapter 11

As soon as we return to the NCIS office Ziva rises behind her desk.

"The driver confessed Gibbs, Tony is booking him in downstairs now," she reports.

"Good. Now you're on protective detail for a while," he says, nodding at me.

"Very well," she replies as Gibbs walks towards the back elevator. Then she turns to me. "Karen, how would you like to blow off a stream?" she asks.

"Excuse me? Come again?" I query.

"Oh, did I say that wrong? I meant to reduce stress."

"Oh, blow off some _steam_," I say, understanding. "Sure, what have you got in mind?"

"My favourite stress reliever, come with me," she says, walking to the elevator.

* * *

"Whaddaya got Abs?" Gibbs says as he comes into the lab.

"You're five minutes late Gibbs, don't tell me your gut is slipping," Abby says, mock-sternly. "Of course, I didn't mean physically, that's still perfect, but-"

"Abs, I had to drop Karen off with Ziva first, now what do you have," he cuts in impatiently.

"Oh, ok. Tell him what we got Tim," she says, gesturing a hand over to me.

"Boss, the email came from an account belonging to SeaTech Systems. They're a contractor to the Navy and have put in a tender to the AEGIS system upgrade, doing computer-" I stop as I see the 'get to the point' glare on Gibbs' face. "Uh, the email doesn't have a staff member listed, it's a general account. But we were able to find the address of the computer that sent it, if I can get access to their network I should be able to track it down."

"Right, tomorrow we'll go do a security audit on them, see what we can find," Gibbs announces.

"Uh, Boss, you do realise we have to have a reason to do that-"

"No, really McGee?" he shoots back, sarcastically. "I'll get on to Senator Hobson for authorization," he says. Looking at his watch he continues, "Got anything else for me?"

"Well," I start.

"Spit it out McGee," Gibbs orders.

"Last night Karen told me that her parents were killed in a hit and run which she witnessed. Her testimony led to the conviction and imprisonment of a drug runner, Paul-"

"Johnston," Gibbs interrupts. "Got something I don't know McGee?"

"When he was convicted he made death threats against Karen. He was released two weeks ago, whereabouts unknown at this time," I report.

"All right, put a BOLO out on him."

"On it Boss," I say and turn to the computer.

"You got anything else Abs?"

"Nothing from me Gibbs."

"Okay, go home, both of you. Be here at 0730 tomorrow McGee," he orders as he strides out of the lab. Abby turns to me.

"So Tim, any plans for the rest of the day?"

"Not really, I kinda thought we'd be here all day," I admit, putting the finishing touches on the BOLO.

"Great, that means we can go bowling!" she exclaims happily.

"Bowling, uh, I don't know if Karen will-"

"Yes she will, just this morning she challenged me to a 3 game match."

"Okay, let's go find her."

* * *

THOCK! The knife thuds into the wood, quivering.

"Good!" Ziva praises me, "You are an organic."

"A what?" I ask.

"A natural," Tony answers from the doorway.

"Yes, a natural," Ziva agrees. I walk to the crate the target is attached to and pull the knife from it. I walk back to the throwing line, turn to face the target and throw the knife again, this time I hit the target dead centre.

"Whoa!" Tony observes, now standing beside Ziva. "Nice work!"

"Beginners luck," I say as I retrieve the knife again.

"Not at all," Ziva objects, "you're a natural like I said."

I fold the knife and hand it to her but she smiles and shakes her head.

"Keep it, everyone who can throw that well should have their own knife."

"Yeah, and you can now keep rule nine too," Tony adds as I put the knife in my pocket.

"Rule nine?" I ask quizzically.

"Never go anywhere without a knife," Tim says, standing in the doorway with Abby beside him.

"Whose rule is that?" I ask.

"Gibbs'" everyone else says in unison. I can't help smiling.

"Speaking of Gibbs, he's given us the rest of the day off," Tim announces as he and Abby walk over to us.

"So I thought we could go bowling," adds Abby. "There's an alley not too far away, it's where I bowl with the nuns."

"You bowl with _nuns_?" I ask in disbelief.

"Sure, what's the problem?"

"What do they think of your skull ball?"

"They're the ones who bought it for me," she states.

I notice Tim and Ziva looking very confused.

"You'll see at the alley," I promise. "That reminds me, I need to get my ball from home."

"Okay, we'll swing past there, let's see," Tim looks at his watch, "it's Eleven o'clock now, how about we meet there at Twelve for lunch, then we'll bowl. Tony, Ziva, you guys want to come too?"

"Sure thing McGee," Tony answers quickly, Ziva simply nods her assent.

"Great!" Abby exclaims.

"Ready to go?" Tim asks me.

"Sure, see you there guys," I say as we leave.

* * *

**Author's note:**

Sorry it's been so long folks, I have not really been in the mood so to speak and even forcing myself to write didn't work. I am thinking this will conclude in for to five more chapters or so with the last few having months in between them timeline-wise.


	12. Chapter 12

**LANGUAGE WARNING: **Some swearing in this chapter.

**Spoilers: ** References to the events in Probie, no direct spoiler.

* * *

"Hey Tim, have I told you how much I like your car yet?" Karen asks as I pull us up outside of her apartment building. I smile as I turn the engine off.

"No Karen, I don't think you have, but I'm glad you do." I leap out of the car and open her side door for her, helping her out before I close the door and lock the car. Her apartment is on the ground floor and I go in first, checking the rooms to make sure all is well. Karen rummages in the bottom of her wardrobe for a while before-

"Ah-_hah!_ I _knew_ you were there somewhere!" she says triumphantly, handing a large and – oof! - heavy black bag to me. So this is the bowling ball we'd come to collect.

"Tim, I just need to use the bathroom, I'll be right out," Karen promises. I take the ball bag to the front door and wait.

* * *

I close the door to the bathroom and start toward the toilet- **WHAM **someone grabs me from behind. They've got their hand over my mouth. I can't call for help! I can barely breathe! They walk me over to the small vanity mirror and – oh my God, it's him! It's-

"Remember me?" he asks quietly. I nod, how could I forget the man I faced in court, the one who killed my parents. I feel something in my pocket.

"Good. I lost fifteen years of my life thanks to you," he sneers, putting a pistol to my head with his other hand. "So now I'm gonna take your life away, even trade eh?"

My knife! That's what's in my pocket.

"I promise it won't hurt," he continues as I reach into the pocket. God please let me reach it.

"It'll all be over before you even realize it."

_Got it!_

He pulls the hammer back on the pistol slowly; at the same time I open the knife.

Click! Did it! He doesn't know about the knife, the hammer click covered the knife clicking in place.

"Good night darling, sweet dreams," he croons as I reach forward and -

stab the knife into his leg with all the force I can muster, twisting it as it goes in.

"ARGGGGGH!" he cries in agony and lets me go. I bolt for the door.

"_TIM!_"

* * *

Crap, there's someone in the bathroom with Karen! I drop the bag and draw my pistol, running towards the bathroom. Karen comes out and I shoo her past me into the kitchen/living room.

"Get back here you bitch!" comes the yell from the bathroom. I raise the gun to aim just as – hey that's – he charges me holding a gun in one hand and a bloody knife in the other. Gun, knife, less than ten feet away and coming fast. I pull the trigger.

**BA-BANG.** Two rounds center chest. He staggers. He's still coming. **BANG. ** One in his head. Johnston drops like a sack; he's down for the count. I check for a pulse to be sure. Finding none I holster my weapon and clear and safe the one Johnston was holding.

"Is, is h-he?" Karen asks shakily, standing in the doorway.

"He'll never hurt anyone again," I promise, standing and going to her, enveloping her in a hug. I walk us away from the door so she can't see Johnston's body.

"I w-was s-s-so sc-scared in-n th-there," Karen sobs into my chest.

"Shhhhh, it's ok now, I got him, he's not going to hurt you," I soothe.

"H-he just, just grabbed me, I never knew he was there and, BAM he had me. I th-thought I was going to d-die."

"Well you didn't. Ok?" I ask and she nods. "How did you get him to let go of you?"

"Oh, uh, yeah," she smiles a little. "You know the kn-knife Ziva gave me this m-morning?"

"The throwing knife," I confirm.

"It was in my pocket, I pulled it out and s-stabbed him in the leg. I twisted it too to make sure it really hurt. He let me go and I ran for the door." Just as she finishes she starts shaking again. I hold her tight. When the shakes subside I pull out my phone and hit speed dial one for the second time in two days.

"Yeah Gibbs," I hear.

Twenty minutes later the team is going over the apartment. Well, Ziva is going over the apartment. Tony is taking Karen's statement in the living room and Gibbs is questioning me in the corridor outside.

"So what happened McGee?" he asks.

"Boss, we came here to get her bowling ball, that's it in the black bag by the front door. Karen dug around until she found it, then gave it to me and said she needed to use the bathroom. So I went to the front door to wait for her."

"You didn't think to clear the bathroom?" he asks, half incredulous and half acid.

'Oh crap,' I think.

"I guess not boss, it happened real fast," I offer lamely.

"Go on," he orders.

"So I'm standing there by the front door waiting and I heard a mans yell and Karen screaming my name. I drew my pistol and moved to that doorway. Karen was out of the bathroom and coming towards me, I got her into the room behind me. Johnston came out the bathroom chasing Karen; he was holding a pistol in one hand and a knife in the other, he spotted me and charged. Immediate threat less than ten feet away, I double tapped him in the chest and he still came at me. I put one in his head and he collapsed," I'm interrupted by a clatter behind me in the hallway.

"Really Mister Palmer you must be more careful with the equipment," Ducky scolds, then turns toward Gibbs and me. "Sorry we're late Jethro, I told my assistant to turn right on Eighth Street but he insisted he knew the way and went left instead. Timothy my boy, how are you feeling?"

"Better than last time Ducky, but that's about all I can say right now," I reply.

"Quite so. And Karen?"

"She's shook up but she's ok," Gibbs answers for me.

"Very well then Mister Palmer, let's go see to our newest guest shall we?" he asks rhetorically as they move into the apartment. Tony comes to report to Gibbs.

"Boss, I, uh," he cuts himself off, looking at me then back to Gibbs, the question all over his face. Gibbs nods; he can make his report in front of me. "Ok, Karen told me they got her bowling ball and she went to the bathroom. Johnston grabbed her from behind, moved her over to the vanity mirror. She pulled her knife from her pocket, opened it and stabbed him in the leg. He let her go, she ran out of the bathroom and past McGoo here into the living room, then she heard three shots. She came back and Johnston is down and McGee is now, and I quote, 'officially my hero,' unquote."

"All right, I'm calling this one a justified shooting," declares Gibbs. I release my breath quietly, not quietly enough for Gibbs not to notice. "Don't think you're off the hook yet McGee, there's still the matter of you not clearing the bathroom," he growls.

"Boss, it happened so fast, I-"

"You lost control of the situation Tim, and you almost lost your protectee. If she hadn't been able to free herself she would now be dead, don't you forget that." With that observation he turns and strides into the apartment and talks briefly with Karen before continuing to the bedroom.

"Don't sweat it Tim, you did good," Tony assures me.

"Really Tony? You heard him and he's right, I almost lost her."

"But you didn't lose her, that's the important part. And you heard what she said, you're a hero now McGee! Don't forget who her boss is either. I don't think being fired is anything to worry about man."

"Thanks Tony."

"Anytime Tim, anytime."

* * *

Later that afternoon Tim brings me back to NCIS headquarters. Everyone was so nice to me at the apartment. We walk into the squad room; Ziva is the only one there.

"Hi Ziva, where is everyone?" Tim asks.

"Gibbs is with the director and Tony is in the lab checking on Abby," She replies, then turns to me. "Good to see you looking a bit better Karen," she says.

"Thanks Ziva, good to be here," I respond.

"Karen, there's something I gotta do, would you mind staying here with Ziva for a while?" Tim asks me.

"Sure, as long as that's ok with Ziva?" I reply, looking at Ziva who nods her assent.

"Great, back soon," Tim promises, walking towards the back elevator.

"You know Ziva, I have to thank you for saving my life," I state.

"Me? But I wasn't there, from what I saw Tim saved your life," Ziva replies, puzzled.

"It was your knife that let me get free of, of-" I can't say his name.

"I see. So really you have yourself to thank, for you were the one who used it."

"That's true, but if you hadn't given it to me I wouldn't have had a knife and he, he would have," I break off, I can't talk, cant say it. My gloomy thoughts are interrupted by-

"KAAAAAAARRRRREEEENNNNNNNNNN!" Abby squeals as she runs towards me and engulfs me in a tight hug.

"Erk! Hi Abby," I choke out as the Goth holds me. Then she lets go, seemingly realizing I can't breathe.

"Ohmigosh are you okay? Did he hurt you? Are you all right?" she fires off the questions with blistering speed.

"Abs, calm down!" Tony pleads behind her.

"I'm fine Abby. Well, you see where he held me and I'm pretty shaken up but apart from that I'm fine," I do my best to sound reassuring.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I was so worried when I heard about it!"

"Well as you see Abby, I'm still here. Sorry we had to cancel our bowling match."

"Oh don't worry about that! We can do that anytime!" Abby lightens up.

"Say Karen, there was something I meant to ask you," Tony says.

"Go ahead."

"Where did you get the idea to twist the knife?"

"Tony!" Ziva and Abby complain at once.

"No, it's ok," I assure them. "I saw it in a movie once, this girl got taken hostage and she stabbed the guy and twisted it."

"Yes! I knew it! It had to be Face/Off! I _knew_-"

WHACK!

"Hi boss, we were just discussing self defense techniques found in-"

"Do I look like I want to know DiNozzo?" he growls as he walks to his desk. "Where's McGee?"

"He said he had to go do something, asked me to look after Karen," Ziva advises him.

"Right. You two got your reports done yet?" he asks Tony and Ziva.

"Almost there Gibbs," Ziva says.

"On it boss," DiNozzo promises.

"How about you Abs?"

"My babies are still doing their thing Gibbs," she reports. Gibbs looks at her. "Which is why I am going to go check on them now. Bye Gibbs, bye Karen," she says as she heads for the elevator.

"What do you want me to do?" I ask Gibbs.

"You can sit here and supervise these two as they write their reports. I'm going to find McGee," Gibbs declares, standing and gesturing for me to sit in his chair.

"He went thataway," I point to the rear elevator.

"Right, then I know where to find him. Don't let these two slack off," he commands as he walks to the elevator in question.

"Whoa Zee-vah, can you believe that?" Tony asks, leaning back in his chair.

"You heard him Tony, get back to work," I order.

"Yes ma'am," he submits meekly.

* * *

The automatic doors swish open before me and I hesitate after stepping inside. Ducky and Jimmy are working on Johnston. Ducky looks up.

"Ah, Timothy, I thought we might be seeing you here. Mister Palmer, why don't you take these samples over to Abby, there's a good fellow."  
"Yes doctor," Jimmy says and smiles encouragingly at me on the way out. Ducky takes off his gloves and protective helmet and walks over to me.

"Still remembering the first man you shot?" he asks.

"Yeah," I nod.

"Big difference this time."

"Yeah, this time we know I killed him," I shoot back.

"We also know that this man was a criminal who, if not for you killing him, would have undoubtedly killed Karen."

"Still doesn't feel any better," I comment.

"Killing someone isn't supposed to feel good my boy. Here, take a seat and we'll have some tea, sit down," he says, gesturing to the chair at his desk. He goes and rattles his tea set, getting the water boiling. He pulls another chair over and sits while he waits for the water to boil.

"No, ending the life of another person is never something to feel good about. However you may feel some satisfaction in having saved at least one life, probably more, and in having carried out your duty."

"That's another thing Ducky, I almost lost her! I didn't clear the bathroom and if she hadn't had that knife he would have killed her! I probably would have got him but it would have been too late!" I cry, anguish in my voice.

"But you didn't, did you?" Ducky's voice is low but audible.

"No, but-"

"Then learn from the mistake and move on Tim. Be thankful she had the knife and never make the mistake again but for heaven's sake don't dwell on it." The kettle starts whistling and Ducky hurries over to it, returning with two teacups.

"There we are, English Breakfast, white with one," he says as he hands me a cup. I take a sip; the tea is excellent as always.

"Thanks Ducky, I wish Gibbs saw things the way you do."

"Who says he doesn't?" Ducky asks with amusement.

"You should have heard him in the hallway at the apartment."

"Angry?" Ducky probes.

"It was like he was asking how I could have been so stupid," I confirm.

"Oh Timothy, that's just his way of getting the best out of you. He knows you did your best, he's been in the same situation himself."

"You didn't hear him," I counter.

"And neither did you hear him in that bedroom, complimenting your marksmanship. One shot straight through the heart, one in the Aorta and one in the forehead of a guy charging at you with a gun and a knife. That was rather impressive accuracy indeed."

"Well, he was only ten feet or so away," I answer modestly.

"And that, McGee, is why it was impressive," Gibbs says from the doorway. I hadn't noticed the doors hadn't closed when Jimmy left.

"How's that boss?" I ask, craning round to look at him. He walks over to us as he speaks.

"Most people confronted with an armed man charging at them ten feet away would either freeze and piss themselves or turn and run. You did neither. You stood your ground, you kept your head and you made your shots count. Sure, it wasn't that big a distance. But it's a huge thing to keep a steady hand when you got a guy that big bearing down on you with a knife, let alone a gun."

"But that stuff you said-"

"Oh yeah, just finished talking with the director about that. I hope you haven't got plans for the next few weekends Tim," he announces.

"Uh, not really, why?"

"Good, you and me are going to go over the Protective Detail Handbook, bit by bit, until I'm sure you've got it down cold."

"Good heavens Jethro, isn't that a bit harsh?" Ducky protests. Gibbs looks at me.

"What do you think Tim, is it too harsh?" he asks. I look up at him.

"You'll be training me personally, one on one?" I query. Gibbs nods. "Then no, it's not too harsh at all, it's perfect."

"Well, far be it from me to interfere, I guess I shall return to my guest. If you see Jimmy, tell him he can come back now will you?"

"Sure thing Duck," Gibbs says as we walk out the door. I pause

"Thanks for the tea Ducky, and for the talk. It helped," I tell him gratefully.

"You're most welcome Tim, happy to be of service."

* * *

**Author's note: **Well there we go, that action scene has been dancing in my head for weeks, bout darn time it came out. The rest flowed from there.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note:** Sorry it has taken me so very long to update this, the flow of the story just kinda dried up within me and I had nothing. However, here this is and it should lead in to the last few chapters quite well. This chapter is all from Karen's POV.

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own NCIS, this is just me having a bit of fun. I do own the original characters in this story.

* * *

I stand as I see Tim rush into the coffee shop. He scans the room until he spots me and smiles, making his way over to the table.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," he apologises.

"That's ok," I assure him, "It's good to see you."

"Good to see you too. Man, wrapping up this case has been a pain," he sighs, plopping down into a seat.

It's been three weeks since we've seen each other, Tim's work having gotten in the way of every plan we'd made. Yes, we'd talked on the phone, but it's just not the same. I twist in my seat a little and look into Tim's eyes.

"So Tim, you never told me how you caught the guy who was after me," I half-state, half-ask.

"Oh, yeah, sure. It was really funny actually. Gibbs and I went down to SeaTech Systems and went over their security measures. Your boss let them know we were coming, told them he wanted to make sure the AEGIS system upgrades were secure. They were scared stiff of losing the contract so they let us have access to everything, making sure to emphasise how secure they were and how no outsiders could use the system." he chuckles before continuing. "I found the computer the email was sent from and it was the CEO himself. He was so worried about security he told me how he was the only one who could use the computer and showed all the measures to prevent anyone getting in. Then I confronted him with the email and he was just dumbstruck. He went like this a few times," Tim imitates a fish out of water, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly. "He wanted to say that it couldn't have been him but he'd just spent half an hour showing us security was so tight it couldn't have been anyone else. He confessed as soon as we got him back to the Navy Yard. It turns out you were about to go over some costings and he was afraid you'd find his embezzling."

"So he showed you there was no one else who could have used his computer and then you used that against him? Nice one!"

"Yeah. Then the headaches started. Secret Service wanted to take him into their custody, FBI wanted him too, heck, even Metro wanted a crack at him. Gibbs was adamant that an attack on his agents took priority but it was a hard fight, he had to take it to the Director and have him talk with the other Directors and the Commissioner of Metro," Tim says, shaking his head.

"So what happens now?" I ask.

"Well, there's no trial necessary as everyone involved confessed. They'll go before a judge for sentencing, Rick and the other marine he roped in will be dishonourably discharged and, well, I wouldn't expect to see them for a very long time. Same with the CEO of SeaTech, except he'll be handled by the civilian system."

"So I don't need to testify?" Tim shakes his head. "Well that's a relief," I sigh. Then I ask, "So what happens now with you and me?" Tim looks at me in surprise.

"Well, uh, we didn't really get a chance to get to know each other again before we were thrust together, did we?"

"So, you're saying you don't want to?" I query, my voice trembling a little.

"Of course I do!" he protests, shocked. "I was just thinking that we'd already gotten to know each other fairly well while you were staying with me."

"Oh," I say, unsure of myself.

"And don't forget, Abby still wants that bowling match with you," he smiles.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that."

"She wants to make it a team thing, you and me against her and Tony."

"Cool, that'll be fun. Has she got a day in mind?"

"Not sure, let me call her." He hits a speed dial on his cell phone. "Hi Abby, yeah, uh huh, sure, she's right here," he says, passing the phone to me.

"Hi Abby," I start.

"KAREN! How are you? I've missed seeing you in my lab. It's too quiet without you."

"Abby, I'm fine, I've missed you too. Somehow quiet just doesn't come to mind when I think about your lab. Speaking of which, I talked to the Senator about your lab and he said he'll take your wish list before the committee. I think he'll get it through, considering how NCIS helped save the life of one of his aides."

"Oh thanks so much, you don't know how much that means to me!" she enthuses. "How can I repay you?"

"Well, how about that bowling match you promised?" I ask.

"Of course! When can we do it?"

"Well, I'm free next Saturday, say about two p.m?"

"Sure, unless we get a case. If we do I'm going to be cranky," she threatens ominously.

"Well, duty first as they say. Tim tells me you want to make it a team event."

"Yeah, is that okay with you? If not we can do it as just a social thing, I mean-"

"Abby, that's fine, okay? It'll be fun, I'm looking forward to it already," I assure her.

"Okay, well I guess I'll see you then, great talking with you again, bye."

"Bye Abby." I hang up and hand the phone back to Tim.

"So, any plans for the rest of the day?" he queries.

"Not really, thought I'd go home and clean up a little."

"How would you like to go to the Washington Mall for a walk followed by dinner at my place?" he asks.

"Sounds great Tim."

* * *

**Author's footnote: **Now the hard part starts: the romance. It's going to be simple because I am not so hot at it.


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER:** I still do NOT own NCIS or it's characters. I do own the original characters in this story.

**Author's note:** Sorry if this bores anyone, I used to bowl in a league and I wanted to do it right. I did trim the coverage of the game so it's not so boring. And now on to the story. It's mostly from Karen's POV.

* * *

DOONK! The ball hits the lane and rumbles towards the pins. The bowler watches intently as the ball curves towards the pocket between the first and second pins and is rewarded by the unmistakable crashing sound of a strike.

"Yes! I love to start with a strike!" Abby exclaims.

"Nice one Abs," Tony compliments her, getting a high five in return. "Your turn Karen," he prompts me. I stand, grab my ball and line up with the arrows on the lane, then one, two, three and four steps and I bring my arm up and let go. The ball falls off my hand and rumbles toward the pins, curving, curving-

"Yes!" I cry as I get a strike too. I high-five Tim as I return to my seat.

"Off you go Tony," he prods.

"Keep your pants on Probie," he shoots back, "perfection can't be rushed." He bowls his ball and leaves two pins standing at the end of the lane.

"What was that about perfection Tony?" I ask innocently. He grumbles and bowls again, knocking the remaining pins down to get a spare for the frame. "Ok Tim, show 'em what you're made of," I encourage him. He lines up like I showed him and bowls, watching as the ball curves just too much, leaving the head pin still there.

"Spare it up Tim," Abby calls. Tony gives her a look. "What? I'm not allowed to encourage my friend?" He shrugs and watches as Tim bowls and misses.

"Don't worry about it Tim, we can get these guys," I tell him quietly when he returns.

"I'm not worried, you're on my team," he grins slyly at me. He watches as Abby bowls another strike and looks around. It's pretty busy here at the bowling alley; we'd wanted to be on two lanes for three games but it was so heavily booked we had to make do with one lane for one game. Abby high fives Tony and turns to me. I stand and retrieve my ball, wiping the oil off it with a hand towel I keep in my ball bag. DOONK, rumble, crash and it's another strike.

* * *

It's been a close match all the way along and now it comes down to Tim versus Tony. Abby ended up with two hundred and eleven and I got two hundred and nine. Tony is sitting on one hundred and ninety eight with his final frame to go. Tim is on one hundred and ninety six.

"Come on baby, come on," Tony calls as he watches his ball roll down the lane. "OH MAN! Why me?" he asks after the ball leaves the worst split of all, the seven-ten. The two outermost rearward pins are left standing in the most difficult split to spare. Tony bowls and only knocks one of the pins down for a score of two hundred and seven.

"Don't worry about it Tony, I've never gotten that one either," Abby consoles him. Tim stands and prepares to bowl. He leaves the seven pin, far left, standing and comes over to me as he waits for his ball to come back.

"Spare it up and you only need to get three on the final ball to win," I tell him.

"I'll do my best," he promises. He bowls and spares the frame with ease. As he waits for the ball he walks back to me again.

"Okay, now just relax and do the best you can, no pressure, okay?"

"Relax yet do the best I can, kinda conflicting options there don't you think?" he asks with a wry smile on his face. I open mouth to protest but am cut off by his laugh.

"You!" I scold as I swat his arm. The ball returns and Tim wipes it off with my towel, then lines himself up. He walks to the line and releases the ball, watching intently as it rolls towards the pocket. Come on, could it be-

"YES! Way to go Tim!" I shout and rush up to him, ecstatic he got a strike and won the game for us. He seems in shock at having gotten the highest score of the game, two hundred and twenty six. I wrap my arms around him and kiss him full on the lips. Tim reacts slowly but soon wraps his arms around me and deepens the kiss. Someone clears their throat loudly and we break the kiss, turning to find Abby gaping at us and Tony looking at Tim with, wait a minute, is that approval I see? I let go of Tim and look away only to see everyone at the bowling alley looking at us, some in shock, some in disgust at such a breach of bowling etiquette and others looking on in amusement. I quickly turn my gaze back to Tim.

"Thanks for the game Tony, thanks Abs," Tim says, offering his hand. Tim and Tony shake hands with Tony looking at Tim with respect in his eyes. I hug Abby.

"We need to talk," she whispers in my ear.

"Yeah we do," I whisper back, "I'll wait for you in the little girls room."

As we collect our balls I have to wonder what the people on the next lane thought. Abby's skull ball, Tony's basketball design and my own baseball design. Tim doesn't have a custom ball so he used one from the alley.

"So, now for the prize. The winners treat the other team to coffee. Anyone object to the cafe here?" I ask.

"No that's fine," Tony replies. Tim and Abby nod.

* * *

Whoa, where did that come from? One second I'm watching the pins fall on the strike and the next thing I know I'm kissing Karen. Then to see the expression on Abby's face, oh boy, either I'm in trouble or Karen is. I return my ball and shoes and we go over to the cafe.

"So, Tony, Abby, what will you have?" I ask.

"Hot chocolate for me thanks Tim," Abby replies.

"Same for me Probie," Tony adds. I look to Karen and she nods, indicating she'd like the same. I order four hot chocolates and return to our table. As soon as I return Karen stands up.

"Just a quick trip to the bathroom, back soon," she says. Tony waits until she is out of earshot before turning to me.

"Way to go McStrike, you won the game and got the girl. Now, come on, you must have been learning from me. It's all right, you can admit it."

"Be right back guys, just have to powder my nose," Abby explains as she stands and heads for the bathroom. I watch her receding form with concern.

"Ooh, Abby isn't happy Tim, you better watch yourself buddy," Tony chides.

"Watch myself? I didn't do anything!" I protest.

"Sure McInnocent, whatever you say buddy. It sure looked like you were enjoying yourself up there."

"Well . . ." There really is nothing I can say that won't give him more ammo so I stop trying.

* * *

"So, you and McGee huh?" Abby almost spits at me as she comes into view.

"Abby, I don't know what came over me but, well, I'd like there to be a me and Tim," I admit.

"Gee, how did I know that was coming?" she replies sarcastically.

"Abby, I know you guys dated and I really don't want to step on your toes, so if you're not comfortable with this you'd better let me know now."

"No, it's not that I'm not comfortable with it, it's just, well, I want the best for him and I hate it when he gets hurt." She sighs. "Sure we dated for a while, but, it just wasn't working, you know?" I nod understandingly. "He and I, we're similar, we're alike, but we're really different too and that just, I don't know, grated I guess." She pauses a while, then her eyes flick up and bore into mine. "But you know, if you hurt him, I'll-"

"Kill me and leave no forensic evidence, yeah I know," I interrupt, smiling.

"Good, just so we're clear on that," she says. Then she giggles. "We'd better get back, by now Tony will be having all sorts of thoughts and Tim will be wondering if I'm hiding the evidence."

* * *

**Authors footnote:** OORAH! Back in the swing. Part of Abby and Karen's conversation I have had for ages and I am glad I finally got the chance to use it. And ordinarily in league we gave a high five for a spare and used both hands for a strike but I couldn't find a term to describe theboth hands version so I stayed with the high five.


	15. Chapter 15

Two years later

Oh boy this is it. My palms are sweaty, my pulse racing. Sitting here in the church, waiting for Karen to arrive is one of the most nerve wracking things I have ever experienced. I look at my best man and he senses my discomfort.

"Easy there Probie, you'll be fine. Besides, it can't be that hard, Gibbs did it, what, four times?"

"Be glad we're in a church for a _wedding_ DiNozzo," Gibbs growls.

"Shutting up boss," Tony replies quickly.

I had to smile. I couldn't have picked better groomsmen if I'd tried. Tony the comic relief and Gibbs the steady influence. Gibbs in particular helped us so much in planning this day. Tony pulled off a bachelor party that, surprisingly enough, I didn't feel any discomfort with and could totally relate to. We had a game of laser tag outdoors, man I'm glad Gibbs was on my team, his sniper skills came in real handy. Then we had dinner and drinks at a bar, ok, I'll admit it, I had a few too many, but I think that was the plan anyway. Then we did indoor laser tag and that was a whole new experience. I couldn't hit a barn door, I couldn't run without slamming into the walls, it was a shameful performance. If anything it gave me a new appreciation for the 'no alcohol when handling firearms' rule.

"Mr McGee, the bridal party has arrived," the priest informs me. I nod in acknowledgement. There goes the heart rate again! I control my breathing, trying to calm down. I'm getting married and my bride just got here!

"Tony, tell me you have the rings," I plead.

"Right here McNervous," he replies, patting his jacket above the inside pocket. "I've got it under control," he reassures me.

The music starts and we stand and take our positions. Damn it's hot in these jackets. I know these Matrix style long coats look great but with the vests and all they could be better ventilated. Oh wow, there's Abby, she looks awesome in that deep shade of red. The strapless satin dress shines as she moves, catching this light and that. Abby catches my eye and smiles that smile, the one she keeps for me alone. Gibbs escorts her to the stage and then takes his own position.

"Damn!" Tony exhales in awe as Ziva comes into view. Curly hair dangling down, same dress style as Abby, I don't even want to think about what is going through Tony's mind as he guides her to the stage and assumes his position. My heart stops for a moment as Karen comes into view, escorted by Ducky. I'm torn between grinning with every available tooth and crying in joy. Our eyes meet and I can tell she feels the same. She's wearing a strapless white silk dress with a floral pattern that looks like it was etched into it. Ducky, of course, is wearing a suit with a bow tie.

"Here you are my dear. Timothy my boy, I leave her in your capable hands."

"Thanks Duck," I shake the offered hand warmly and take Karen's arm in mine, leading her to the stage. Here we go.

* * *

"I now have the honour to present Mr and Mrs Timothy and Karen McGee," the priest announces at the end of the ceremony. Applause erupts as we start down the aisle together. I lead Karen over to my parents and they hug us both and welcome Karen to the family. Right next door is my sister Sarah who hugs us both as well. The people along the aisle congratulate us as we pass, gee it's almost a who's who of NCIS, the FBI and assorted other agencies.

"Congratulations Tim, Karen," Senator Hobson says.

"Thank you sir, and thank you for coming," I reply.

"I simply could not miss the wedding of one of my favourite staff members."

Finally we reach the door, having been delayed by the photographer. Karen gasps. There in two rows are eight marines in dress blue uniform. The officer in charge barks an order and with the ringing of clashing steel they draw their swords, holding them up in an arch. I turn and look at Gibbs.

"Commanding officer at Quantico owed me one," he explains.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" the officer announces. "It is my honour to present to you Special Agent and Mrs McGee!" The crowd applauds once more.

"Off you go McNewlyweds," Tony prompts us.

As we reach the end of the arch the two final swords descend to block out path and we stop. The marine on our left brings his sword around and gently swats Karen on her behind with the flat of the blade and announces, "Welcome to the Naval Service Ma'am!" Karen giggles as we proceed and enter the limousine.

* * *

Oh man, my face hurts so much from smiling! Who'd have thought? So many photos! Well, it's time for the bridal waltz. As we take the floor for our first dance as husband and wife our chosen song begins to play. Karen's eyes meet mine and we begin to dance.

_There was a guy at my school when I was in high school  
We'd ride side by side in the morning on our bicycles  
Never even spoken or faced each other_

_But on the last hill we'd race each other  
When we reached the racks we'd each go our own way  
I wasn't in his classes, I didn't know his name  
When we finally got to speak he just stared at his feet  
And mumbled a sentence that ended with 'James'_

_I was young and caught in the crowd  
I didn't know then what I know now  
I was dumb, and I was proud  
And I'm sorry  
If I could go back do it again  
I'd be someone you could call friend  
Please please believe that I'm sorry _

This song brought us together. This song reminds us of our past together. This is our song. When we were planning our day we didn't have to discuss it, this was _the_ song for this moment.

_Well he was quite a big guy, kinda shy and quiet  
When the kids called him weird he didn't try to deny it  
Every lunchtime he'd spend walking by himself  
Round the boundary of the grounds til he heard the bell_

_Well one day I found him, joined him on his walk  
We were silent for a while until we started to talk  
I told him my family were fighting in court  
He said his step-dad and him always fought_

_We talked about music, he was into punk  
Told me all the bands that I liked were junk  
I said I'd never heard the songs the sex pistols sang  
I laughed back at him and then the bell rang_

I was young and caught in the crowd  
I didn't know then what I know now  
I was dumb, and I was proud  
And I'm sorry  
If I could go back do it again  
I'd be someone you could call friend  
Please please believe that I'm sorry

Round and round we dance, oblivious to the crowd, eyes only for one another. I lower my forehead to hers and stare deeply into my wife's eyes.

_It was after school in the afternoon  
The corridors were crowded as we came out of the rooms  
Three guys I knew pushed him into the cement  
Threw away his bag and said he had no friends_

She tenses. I know she still feels guilty so I hold her closer. I try to convey forgiveness with my look. That wasn't one of the ones Gibbs taught me so I'm winging it here. She relaxes in my embrace and I know I succeeded.

_He yelled that he did and he looked around  
Tried getting up but they pushed him on down  
That's when he saw me, called out my name  
And I turned my back, and just walked away  
Yeah I turned my back, and just walked away_

_I was young and caught in the crowd  
I didn't know then what I know now  
I was dumb, and I was proud  
And I'm sorry  
If I could go back, do it again  
I'd be someone you could call friend  
Please please, believe that I'm sorry._

As the song ends Karen lifts her head a little away from mine. As the crowd applauds and the dance floor starts to fill she says, "I love you Timothy McGee."

I smile and reply, "I love _you_ Karen McGee."

THE END

* * *

**Author's note: **I had ideas for other chapters but it felt like I'd be dragging it out just to have a story with many chapters. Thanks very much to Kate Miller-Heidke for a beautiful and cathartic song. Thank you to everyone who read this story and special thanks to those who reviewed it. Tim's reaction to seeing Karen coming down the aisle is the same as mine when I saw my bride coming.


End file.
